# Thoughts on Morta?



## David M (Mar 11, 2009)

A bunch of carvers have gone down the road and are using it for pipes. Some carvers use it much more than others. Becker comes to mind as being someone who is leading the charge in it's popularity although many others use it as well.

Does anyone have a Morta pipe? How does it smoke and how does it compare to briar? Noticeable difference? Whats the difference? Lighter? Smokes cleaner? Hotter?

I imagine that carvers love the heck out of it because it's something new to work with. Anything new is probably exciting for artists. If any carvers are reading this - why do you like or don't like Morta? Does it feel like you have to use the wood because it is getting popular and you are trying to keep up with consumer demand?

For those that may not know much about it (which includes me) this is the definition of it. They use the word stone - fossilized into stone. So the stuff that pipes use is only part of the way there towards stone?

From Wikipedia:
*Morta* is a semi-fossilized wood. It is created when large trees are felled or overturned by geologic activity and become buried in an oxygen-limited fashion, usually in peat or clay. The wood is unable to rot normally so it begins the long process of fossilizing into stone. Morta is a generic term used to describe any semi-fossilized wood of this style.
Morta is found in various locations across the globe, usually in marshlands or moors. It is occasionally used in making tobacco pipes.


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## GuitarDan (Nov 26, 2009)

I wonder how it affects the ability to absorb moisture during the smoke?


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

All i know is that in Italian Morta means dead.:bathbaby:


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## Mad Hatter (Apr 8, 2007)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> All i know is that in Italian Morta means dead.:bathbaby:


Well if it makes you feel better call it bog oak because that's what it is.

Mine smokes cool and as dry as any other pipe I have. Heats up fast with overpuffing but cools off twice as quickly. As a flavor of its own which some people say is great for latakia blends. I use mine for VAs


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## Davetopay (Jan 19, 2008)

Interesting! I'd like to know more.....


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## Mad Hatter (Apr 8, 2007)

Davetopay said:


> Interesting! I'd like to know more.....


Theyre carved from wood salvaged from bogs in europe and are textured like decayed wood that has turned to carbon. They're also very light, a little bit rare and a little pricey, but also gaining in popularity.

Here's two at the jamesislandpiper website

catalog_category


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## Twiggz (Feb 15, 2009)

Damn man! why did you have to post a link?!?!?! Now I want one:fear:

Must... resist... need to pay off debt first. 

I really like the look of the grain. Now if only he would make one with a ring of mamoth ivory in the stem... I'd be all over that.


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

Twiggz said:


> Damn man! why did you have to post a link?!?!?! Now I want one:fear:


No kidding, that was just evil!


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## Jack Straw (Nov 20, 2008)

Man, love that billiard.


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## Garys4598 (Jan 16, 2010)

The following is what I believe to be a very good site for information concerning the harvesting and use of morta in pipes, it is from the Talbert Pipes website: Talbert Morta: Creation

Here is the link to his website that shows many of his past morta creations: http://www.talbertpipes.pair.com/mortacatalog.shtml

Trever Talbert conveys in great detail the finding and harvesting, cutting and drying, shaping, etc., etc. of morta pipes.

For years I wanted one of his exclusive morta creations. . . alas, every cotton pick'n time I'd visit his website, whatever new morta pipes he had created were claimed. If I recall correctly (based on the info contained from his site), the morta harvested is rather small in scale in comparison to briar harvesting. Ergo, the majority of the pipes that he created from morta were generally smaller in size, although once in a blue moon he was able to harvest a piece of morta that allowed him to create a more classic/standardized pipe.

Alas, Trever has recently relocated back to the United States from France. So. . . I imagine there will be little in the way of future morta pipes being created by him.

I was never fortunate enough to secure myself a Talbert morta pipe; I've no personal experience with how they smoke. Yet as *Mad Hatter* has indicated (from personal experience and ownership no less) some folks believe they are somewhat superior for enjoying baccy over briar.

Based on the information contained within Trever Talbert's website, I'd be hugely surprised to learn that using morta would become popular with pipemakers, simply because of its alleged scarcity over briar.

FWIW.


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## Arctic Fire (Jan 17, 2010)

at first i thought it was petrified wood, but hot damn those are sexy!


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## GuitarDan (Nov 26, 2009)

Ah, so it's NOT stone like at all then, just well preserved old wood?


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## Mad Hatter (Apr 8, 2007)

Twiggz said:


> Damn man! why did you have to post a link?!?!?! Now I want one:fear:
> 
> Must... resist... need to pay off debt first.
> 
> I really like the look of the grain. Now if only he would make one with a ring of mamoth ivory in the stem... I'd be all over that.


Just tryna help a brother out



Jack Straw said:


> Man, love that billiard.


That's the pipe I have but the grain's a little different



Garys4598 said:


> The following is what I believe to be a very good site for information concerning the harvesting and use of morta in pipes, it is from the Talbert Pipes website: Talbert Morta: Creation
> 
> Here is the link to his website that shows many of his past morta creations: Talbert Morta: Catalog
> 
> ...


I think there is a little competition for morta other than pipe making, like trinkets, souvenirs, etc.

Talbert does seem to have the best info on Morta

According to Chris Caskwith morta can be a little difficult to work with due to its texture which is pretty delicate.

I do love my morta. Its a great smoker.


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## GuitarDan (Nov 26, 2009)

Ah... that's very similar to logs that are harvested out of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. They've been sitting at the bottome of those frigid waters for well over 100 years covered in silt. The temperature, and lack of exposure to air, sunlight, and common wood eating critters/insects preserves the wood quite nicely.

Lots of waste wood, but it usually is of high quality, when compared to newly felled timber. For a few years it was very much in vogue for instrument making.

Sometimes it behaves just like any well seasoned example of a given species. Other times, it picks up very nasty minerals and/or fungus that makes for hateful work.

Looks like common species of Oak wood that has absorbed characteristics of the peat or tar in the bogs?


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## drastic_quench (Sep 12, 2008)

Do you have to baby it like a meer? Like would you never give it a couple of thumps on a cork knocker?


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## Mad Hatter (Apr 8, 2007)

drastic_quench said:


> Do you have to baby it like a meer? Like would you never give it a couple of thumps on a cork knocker?


I've never babied mine. It thumps just fine


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## David M (Mar 11, 2009)

Awesome info and Trevor's site really breaks it down well. Thanks for sharing.

This has definitely opened my eyes to the stuff and I am now curious. Next step is familiar to all of us. I am gonna take some time though and get to know Briar a bit better until I jump into the Morta mix but definitely eye opening. 

Nice to hear that you are having such a good experience with it Joe.


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## DubintheDam (Jun 5, 2007)

European bog oak (morta) is usually at least 5000 year old oak wood, yes that's correct! 5 thousand! Carbon dating of English and Irish bog oak dates it to 3,300BC. I'm just starting to make tampers from it, watch this space. Kinda kicks a birth year Dunhill of the pitch!


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## ghe-cl (Apr 9, 2005)

Extraordinary morta pipe by Becker here: Morta-fied


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## DamirC (May 4, 2010)

My friend Davorin makes morta pipes few years now and I have one of his black morta pipes. He has also copper and gold morta wood and color depends  on the age of wood.

Check the new Davorin's site with cca 50 new morta pipes. Note black morta chalabash with copper morta head!

Enjoy: davorinmortapipes.wordpress.com


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## Jack Straw (Nov 20, 2008)

More than you ever wanted to know about bog oak: Estervals Pipe House


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## PinkFloydFan (Oct 1, 2009)

Good Afternoon Fellas,

I know some of you are itching for one of these... Now may be your shot !

I found this on Fleabay.. Looks pretty nice too.

BOG OAK PIPE 

-Vin


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## Commander Quan (May 6, 2003)

DubintheDam said:


> European bog oak (morta) is usually at least 5000 year old oak wood, yes that's correct! 5 thousand! Carbon dating of English and Irish bog oak dates it to 3,300BC. I'm just starting to make tampers from it, watch this space. Kinda kicks a birth year Dunhill of the pitch!


MarkC could have a pipe carved from a tree that was planted the same year he was born. :lol:


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## Hermit (Aug 5, 2008)

DamirC said:


> My friend Davorin makes morta pipes few years now and I have one of his black morta pipes. He has also copper and gold morta wood and color depends on the age of wood.
> 
> Check the new Davorin's site with cca 50 new morta pipes. Note black morta chalabash with copper morta head!
> 
> Enjoy: davorinmortapipes.wordpress.com


*I have one of Davorin's pipes. I love it!*








*Davorin Morta Pipes*


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## Savvy (Jun 23, 2007)

Awesome pipe Hermit. Davorin definitely ended up with an email in his inbox because of your picture and praise for the pipe.

Maybe I'll add a morta pipe to my collection next...


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## Hermit (Aug 5, 2008)

Savvy said:


> Davorin definitely ended up with an email in his inbox because of your picture and praise for the pipe.


I hope so; he's a great guy.
(he also included a free tamper with the pipe.)


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

Thanks to our resident Madhatter I will soon find out the advantages of bog oak.
Growing up I always found myself interested in things such as bog oak and the idea of this wood being between 5000 and 10000 years old just amazes me.


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